[Dixielandjazz] "Mainstream - a definition.

[briantowers]

Here is another spin on the term "mainstream" based on my experiences of
jazz in the UK.

In 1950/60's Britain we used the term "mainstream" to denote jazz that was
neither traditional nor modern in our eyes.  The players were usually older
than the typical youngsters of that era who played traditional jazz in the
style of George Lewis, King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, ODJB etc.

We would have described players like Buck Clayton, Ruby Braff, Vic
Dickinson, Ben Webster etc.  as "mainstream"

We did NOT use the term to describe Chicago style jazz, Wild Bill, Condon,
Wilbur De Paris etc.

Humphrey Lyttleton's early band was very strongly traditional.  Later he
changed his approach and his band became mainstream.   The banjo was out,
saxophones were in and the emphasis was no longer on ensemble, counterpoint,
polyphony in the classic traditional style.  Instead the emphasis was
strongly on the instrumental solo and pre-arranged riffs, big band style.
The beat became more laid back and much of the heat of the early jazz sound
disappeared though often the musicianship was of a high standard and
creative.   Much of thesoul and emotion of the original jazz disappeared,
though "mainstream" was often pleasant and made relaxed, if not particularly
exciting, listening.    It differed from modern jazz in that there was still
a discernable melody, rhythm and a recognisable disciplined structure. One
could still dance to it!

Cheers,

Brian Towers,
Hot Five Jazzmakers, Toronto, Canada
Band web site:                http://hotfivejazz.tripod.com
Newsletter:                      http://hotfivejazz.tripod.com/TJM


----- Original Message -----
From: "D and R Hardie" <darnhard@ozemail.com.au>
To: "Bill Haesler" <bhaesler@nsw.bigpond.net.au>
Cc: "fred spencer" <drjz@bealenet.com>; "dixieland jazz mail list"
<dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 02, 2003 5:27 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Re: Jazz Popular?/Mainstream


> Dear Bill And Others.
>                                  Once again, I did
> not say the term 'mainstream' was invented here or
> that it was used in the 1940's. I quote from my
> original post:" The latter
> term was used in Australia by followers of the
> 1940's Chicago Style to differentiate their
> somewhat 'progressive'  music from that of the
> revivalist bands  who were imitating  recordings
> by Bunk Johnson and the Classic 1920's jazz bands
> of  King Oliver and Jelly Roll Morton ."
> Fred Spencer misinterpreted this comment to imply
> that I was talking about musicians active in the
> 1940's and that it was invented here. Certainly
> not. I meant fellow musicians  with whom I
> associated, who  modelled their playing on  the
> Condon School. As Bill well knows this could not
> have been after 1956. If he is right about the
> 1958 date they must have been prescient. However I
> did not  ever  intend to establish the date of the
> invention of the term and would not want to be
> misquoted again and again on this. That is how so
> many  fallacies about jazz history have been
> started.
>
> regards Dan Hardie
>  Check Out the Early Jazz History site at: